The Best Travel Guide Websites
Guidebook publishers and travel guide sites cover what to see, where to stay and how to get around, written by people who have been there. Use them for the big picture and practical basics, then dig into local sites and blogs for the latest openings and opinions.
What is the best travel guide website?
Lonely Planet remains the best-known travel guide, with practical country and city guides, itineraries and articles written by experienced travel writers. Tripadvisor collects millions of traveller reviews of hotels, restaurants and attractions and ranks them, which makes it useful for comparing specific places. Wikivoyage is a free, community-written guide that covers even obscure towns with practical details on getting there and around.
Where can I find hidden gems and unusual places?
Atlas Obscura catalogues tens of thousands of strange, hidden and wonderful places around the world, from underground cities to tiny museums. Time Out tells you what's on in major cities right now, from new restaurants to exhibitions, and Culture Trip focuses on local culture, design and food. Combine a guidebook for the basics with these for the places most tourists miss.
Are guidebooks still worth buying?
Yes, for some trips. A good guidebook gives you a structured overview of a country, its history and its regions in a way scattered web searches don't, and works offline. Rick Steves is the classic for Europe with detailed, practical walking tours, while Rough Guides and Frommer's offer independent-minded and value-focused coverage. For prices and opening hours, always check online as books date quickly.
How to research a destination
- Start with a guidebook or Wikivoyage for the big picture.
- Read recent traveller reviews and forums for current conditions.
- Check official tourism board websites for events and seasonal closures.
- Watch videos from travel YouTubers to get a feel for a place.
- Read personal travel blogs for honest, first-hand experiences.